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THE SEANAD WILL temporarily relocate to the Ceramics Room of the National Museum.
In a statement, the House of the Oireachtas said the decision comes after “constructive discussions” with the museum.
The move, which is expected to cost around €1.5 million, is to accommodate renovations at Leinster House.
An Taisce had previously lodged complaints about the move to Dublin City Council’s planning department.
The national trust said it was prompted to act after the digging of a foundation pit for a lift that is to be attached to the outside of the protected building, which is said happened “in the absence of either planning permission or an exemption.”
“The museum has no spare space for the temporary convenience of vagrant Senators,” An Taisce added.
‘Integrity of museum’
Speaking about the relocation, Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl said he was “extremely grateful” to the museum for facilitating the temporary move.
We are committed to ensuring that the integrity of the museum will be maintained and respected at all times during the relocation, which is expected to run for a period of 18 months.
“In order to facilitate meetings of the Seanad in the National Museum, some works will have to be carried out and the Office of Public Works will now commence the process of preparing detailed plans and tender documentation.
As part of the agreement, the Houses of the Oireachtas will fund the refurbishment of an area for future use by the museum as a public exhibition space and funds will be made available for the construction of a new lift which will be of long-term benefit to the museum in facilitating public access.
“The cost of these works will be set through a public tender process, carried out in conjunction with the Office of Public Works. The Houses of the Oireachtas have also offered that the Ceramics Room would be available to the Museum for seminars and lectures when the Seanad is in recess.”
TheJournal.ie has contacted An Taisce for comment.
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Surely suspending the Seanad would be the most prudent thing to do. I mean it’s not as if anybody would notice if they didn’t sit anyway.
Les the Irish people voted to save the seanad.
@Eddie Simon: yes but only because kenny said not to….
@Eddie Simon: What Peter said!
Well aren’t you an eejit so.
Let’s stuff the senators and put them on display. Win-win.
Oh, hang on, I forgot James Reilly is one of them. Scratch that.
@Ben McArthur: wondered why we hadnt heard from him lately it should be renamed ” the rest home for the bewildered “….
Move them to the Wax Museum Where they will be better placed
Could we not stick in the ballroom at Farmleigh it’s only used very rarely except when the Nigerians come to town to party with lots of ladies
How fitting for some, going to the ceramics room. A lot of them are like ceramics , crack up easy over nothing.
Of course they will do as they want!! And the taxpayer can foot the bill to what ever tune they wish to spend. Ffs couldn’t they use the convention centre.
Wonder if the senators are being paid to move?
1.5 million – I like to see the break down of that.
Found a perfect solution at a fraction of the cost. Industrial unit at €290,000 plus a quick visit to IKEA for some furniture and then they are ready to move back we can sell the unit and make a profit!
A load of old relics in with a load of old relics
So they are receiving another collection of fossils.
I couldn’t think of a more suitable place for such an antiquated institution.
Also, the building is now to get a lift to haul the fat privileged overfed arses up a single story thus altering the outside of an historic Georgian building which dates to the mid 1800s.
If this wasn’t for The Seanad Norris would be having an eloquent shitefit.
They spend 10% of the money missing from dublin to move to a building not designed for the use? There are lots of buildings that can be used which were designed for ‘large meetings’. Renting them is a lot cheaper…
An Taisce, and AAA/ PBP, should form an alliance, as both bodies- cadavers even- appear to be AGAINST, every proposal?
It is hoped the National Museum , will have sufficient resources to renovate the Seanad, members, and perhaps ” keep ‘em”, as a showpiece of tomfoolery, for all to see, close- up.
Goodness me, can we do anything in this country without some sort of protest or compliant.
They can relocate to the Dublin mountains, for all the use they are….
@MK76, thankfully no. Unless you’d rather we lived in North Korea?
Disgraceful, museum could not afford staff and rooms were locked and closed for months. Now they loose a room for the senators.
Senatourism. (definition) The act of visiting a cultural institution to see overripe people getting paid ludicrous amounts to sit and talk about nothing.
Just keep destroying the country enda.
Highly appropriate considering just how antiquated they are.
A lot of them are museum pieces anyway, be right at home!
Surely there’s a function room in Newlands Cross they can meet for the few hours a week they work?
Put them 0n display with the rest of the ancient fossils.
Natural History Museum on Merrion St. would be a better place to relocate those fossils.
have your say